Exposure
by IlovesMesomeGlee
Summary: Kurt has the opportunity of a lifetime and pursues it. Little does he know how much it will change him and a certain lead singer. Rated T and Rated M in future chapters. Kurtofsky. Completely AU. I don't own Glee.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hi Guys!**

**I came up with ANOTHER story! Yay! Right? Lol **

**Anyways, This story is ANOTHER time piece. Its focused on the 70's mostly. This chapter is not though. You will see why. :) **

**So if you all LOVED my other story "The Orange Relationship" I THINK YOU WILL LOVE THIS! :) **

**Thank you to my support. I love you all. X3**

**Rated T for now. BUT in future chapter will change the rating to Rated M. Warnings coming later. **

**Please review. Be kind. **

**I'll try NOT to spoil anymore so without further ado... Enjoy! **

**Have a great day!-ILOVESMESOMEGLEEX3**

Chapter One.

When you're twenty-three years old, you enter the white-collar world with a zest and eagerness that you think will never go away. Like happiness. And for Kurt Hummel, this is exactly what happened.

Until a year later. After that, new phrases like "deadlines", "you're fired!", and "you can't write for shit!" enter the vernacular. Kurt would sigh and consider another profession. But when a writer and reporter gets the itch to write, you just have to scratch.

Kurt considered this a long time ago. A long time ago indeed. In fact, this thought no longer crossed his mind. Instead, he focused on making sure his wobbly feet connected to the rungs accurately.

Kurt was climbing an attic ladder. It was summer and allegedly a good time to do tasks around the house.

But in his old age he was finding it difficult to move around and his back and feet hurt. Kurt was REALLY sweaty from the summer heat and it was unbearable!

But he would live. He wiped his face, then stretched and cracked his back, feet and arms. He yawned and sat on the floor with a huge box in front of him.

He yawned again and nearly threw up when he smelled the air. It smelled of old mold and dust. It was his fault. He should've cleaned up there sooner.

"Nuh huh! I was next!"

"You were not, Tessa!"

"Was so, Johnathan!"

"No!"

"Hey! You kids knock it off up there!" Kurt Hummel yelled at his two grandkids to quiet after arguing when playing a game.

It was summer in Ohio and Kurt Hummel's grandkids Tessa and Johnathan were visiting him for the summer.

Both starting fourth and fifth grade soon and that was exciting for them.

_They grow up so fast where did the time go?, _Kurt smiled as he thought this.

"Sorry, Grandpa!" Tessa and Johnathan chimed as Kurt sighed. They _NEVER HAD_ to be told twice to do something and he appreciated that.

_Buzzzz... Buzzzz... _

Kurt's cellphone rang and he ignored it. He HATED cell phones BUT his kids INSISTED he get one incase of emergencies.

He Had NO use in his old age for texting and all that. His home phone has done the job for him, thank you very much.

After that interruption, Kurt went back to unboxing old magazines, his grandkids baby pictures and an old article written by him.

And old pictures of a time where life _TRULY _was a rollercoaster ride.

He suddenly stopped and took a deep breath. Time stopped. _EVERYTHING_ did in that moment.

He _NEVER_ thought he'd see this again.

Kurt was in a trance, he suddenly could smell that old stinky bus and weed and partying and secrets. He could see clearly the rose colored glasses, guitars, stages, joints being passed around and... His smile. His _**BEAUTIFUL**_ light up from within smile.

All part of a moment in his life that he looks back in deep regret. Wonderful, loving, memories also _FULL_ of deep regret and lost time.

Kurt couldn't stop the tears as he muttered one word...

"Dave".

**AN: I'm currently working on chapter 2 but I'm not posting until chapter 3 is finished this way you won't have to wait MONTHS for me to post and I can just post one after the other. I hope you all understand. Thank you for reading!-ILOVESMESOMEGLEEX3**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hi Everybody! **

**Oh man! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE LOVE ON THE FIRST CHAPTER! :D**

**The reviews, follows and favorites! Y'all rock! I appreciate it so much! Imma cry! Lol! I'm kidding BUT THANK YOU! :) **

**I wanted to wait until chapter three to post BUT I'm so excited that you're all excited I decided to do this now! ;)**

**On to the story and what I forgot to mention in the first chapter... This was inspired very much by the movie "Almost Famous" so you'll see a couple references to that movie if you have seen it already. :)**

**Starting from this chapter and from now on will be set in 1973.**

**This is AU. No one in the show really knows each other here. **

**There will be other characters from Glee popping up every now and then BUT I also got OC's here too. :) **

**Also the places mentioned here are real but used in a fictional way. The name of the company Kurt works for is made up by me. :) **

**Ok, that's all I wanted to say so without further interruptions, Please review. Please be kind. If you have questions, let me know and I'll try my best to answer them. :)**

**Enjoy-ILOVESMESOMEGLEEX3**

**Chapter Two**

"So the dedication ceremony is today…" Kurt wondrously said to no one. He perused the _NEW YORK TIMES _with the usual dedication of a reporter. Of course, he was a little jealous too. Every reporter and writer wants a shot at _THAT_ newspaper. However, he didn't really have the experience for that yet. He sighed as he turned to the page and read about a new complex that had just been built. Kurt read the article and didn't think very much of it. Instead, he dumped the paper in the nearest trash bin and the article's header stared at him…

**World Trade Center Dedication Ceremony – April 4th, 1973**

He stood on the sidewalk of Ocean Parkway, not far from Prospect Park. Kurt had a little time on his hands and considered buying a ten-cent hot dog. Instead, he realized that the unhealthy lunch would be the last thing his sensitive stomach would want. So he straightened his wide, brown tie and walked back towards the office, listening to the clicking of his white, platform shoes. It was an unusually warm March day and he didn't exactly mind it. However, the amount of White Rain in his hair made the occasional breeze a bit of an annoyance.

Nevertheless, he seemed happy. It's not like Kurt Hummel had any real reason to be depressed or, well, unhappy. He just wasn't exactly satisfied with his job. Who is? And he remembered a mimeographed note that a secretary had stabbed on his In box memo plate –

Boss wants to see you after lunch.

_GROOVY_, Kurt thought. Seeing the boss after lunch meant two things – one, he'd be given an assignment he'd probably hate, and two, his boss would be drunk. Three martini lunches were _MUCH_ more common in New York than in anywhere else he lived. He couldn't fathom why. And in that moment, his stomach still grumbling from lack of food, he just ignored it and headed back down the street towards his office.

**MUSICMARC** was hardly the biggest music magazine out there. Kurt actually tried to get a job at **ROLLING STONE**, but was barely acknowledged for even applying. Once again, he chalked it up to his lack of true experience and hated to admit that. What Kurt needed was a story – a _GOOD_ story. Something that would shake his world up and impress his editors. It's never too late to have an exciting story for any reporter and Kurt would've loved to have them pile up. But as he rounded Ocean Parkway towards 5th Street, he understood that this is the way the world can work. Life moves pretty fast but sometimes, not fast enough.

Kurt entered the office building. It was a classic, brick building with at least two other business in the place that he knew of. He crossed the checkered linoleum floors and quickly ascended the steps. Once on the second floor a sharp turn took him to an Art Deco door and when he opened it, the world of magazine writing enveloped him.

Everywhere, women in tapered skirts and men in polyester suits either typed, filed, or sipped coffee from plastic mugs. An older gentleman was turning the crank on a mimeograph machine and a relatively new addition to the office shelled out three copies a minute from the Xerox corporation. Kurt walked through the room with an air of authority. Yes, there were over thirty other writers just like him, but he got noticed for his efforts and it never hurts to impress the administrative and support staff.

No one looked at him.

So Kurt rounded a corner and opened his office door. It was a bit stuffy and his fern had seen better days. The hard-edged desk had plenty of signs of wear and tear, but it was still very functional. Two typewriters were positioned to his left as he plopped into the hard, wooden desk chair. A Zenith radio blasted, "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree" and he bee-bopped to the silly classic. An ashtray for guests sat unused and his telephone had four lines! He felt like a bigshot and realized that he wasn't. It's funny how technology can make us feel special until we truly understand how common things are.

Line three began ringing. He pressed the white flashing button and picked up the phone.

"Hummel." He said.

"About fucking time!" a woman whined. "Here's Martin..." A second later, her voice turned very saccharin. "I have Mr. Hummel on the line for you, Mr. Martin!"

"_HUMMEL_!"

The woman hung up and Kurt automatically straightened his tie. "Y-yes, Mr. Martin?"

"I got somethin' fer ya'!"

To say that that Kurt immediately cringed would be an understatement.

"Yes?" Kurt eagerly asked.

Martin cleared his throat a couple of times and Kurt closed his eyes. It can be a revolting experience to hear a smoker clear their throat repeatedly. Nevertheless Kurt gripped the phone tighter and waited. Finally, Martin swallowed his mucus and Kurt ignored the revulsion.

"You're going to Ohio!"

Oh great, Kurt thought. "Really? Sounds interesting!"

"You don't even know what the assignment is, Hummel. Stop sucking up." Martin cleared his throat again and Kurt heard the metallic stroking of a Zippo lighter. Then a long exhale.

"You're going to Ohi-" a coughing fit hit him and Kurt forced himself to be patient. But Martin didn't have the courtesy to pull the phone away and Kurt was subjected to some of the most disturbing sounds human beings can make. Once again, Kurt hid his disgust.

"Go to Leema, Ohio." Martin growled. "There's a new hippie band you need to cover. Get the scoop. The band is Exposure or something fucked up like that. Just stay with them. They know you're coming. They want the exposure. Get it?" Kurt didn't have time to respond. "Anyway, just get to Leema, Ohio. Not sure if I spelled that right. That's-" He coughed. "That's your job! Any questions?"

"When-?"

"Good. Go!"

Martin hung up. And Kurt had no idea how to find this little Ohio town that was probably spelled wrong. But no matter. He was a bright guy. He'd figure it out. Sometime.

Still though, as he hung up the phone, his mind drifted to Ohio. He really didn't know much about it. Sure Ohio is America's farmland but was there anything else? Kurt's mind drifted a little and he remembered that ugly business at Kent State a few years prior. His dad would remind him that Ohio State's football team would be very good that year. Lake Erie was prone to catching on fire and somewhere in that state, sat a town called Leema or something.

He reached for the newspaper. There was an article about Exposure and he skimmed it. Nothing stood out as unusual. They were a typical rock band for the time, full of protest, self-righteousness, and drugs. The assignment didn't exactly excite him and he wasn't looking forward to it.

Just then, a parcel slid down the slot of his office. With a slight sigh, he got up and considered what it might be. Darkly, he wondered if it was a pink slip. With sudden urgency, he opened the slot and took out the tube.

"Tickets." He muttered to himself. Kurt looked at the airplane ticket to Dayton, Ohio and the voucher for the car rental to Lima.

"Well," Kurt said to his dying fern, "Looks like I'm meeting Exposure."

The fern didn't respond.

Kurt arrived at the Greyhound station shortly after 5pm. For some reason, the quaint Midwestern town appealed to him immediately. He noticed the town's only newspaper, The Lima News, was right across the street. Seedy bars were across from cute little shops and girls giggled on their way to somewhere.

But as Kurt began looking for a car rental place, he noticed more girls bouncing down Market Street. His reporter senses kicked into gear and he soon followed.

He didn't have to walk far until he reached what must've been the town's square. Brick-lined streets and a relatively new invention, a round about, sat before him. In the distance, a small restaurant made him chuckle - Kewpee. The '50s era fast food joint was a staple in Lima and still is. But the group of girls was then a throng and they all passed Kewpee.

Still perplexed, Kurt followed as his duffel bag bobbed on his shoulder. For all anyone knew, he was just another guy walking down the street. No one had to know the truth about him.

In more ways than one.

Crossing Elizabeth Street, the significance of the name not lost on him, Kurt came to a dead stop. Before him was a bus nearly the size of the Greyhound he rode. But this was truly a hippy's paradise.

It was a hunk of shit.

Rust dotted the bottom and it was heavy gray in color. Nothing else stood out except for the girls jumping up and down.

As Kurt watched, he realized WHY the girls were excited. One by one, the smiling band members of Exposure emerged. With each arrival, excited, girly cries went into the air. Security held most of them back and tried to protect the guys, but no one seemed to mind the attention at all. Kurt watched the bassist Tommy Hader come out. He didn't say a word. Instead, his smile was broad but his youth surprised Kurt a little. The boy seemed like he might float away in the breeze, but he dutifully signed autographs. Then, the "dreamboat" Wilson emerged and Kurt's eyes nearly bulged out of his head! He's _NEVER SEEN ANYONE SO BEAUTIFUL BEFORE! _Wilson looked like a Hollywood star. His dazzling smile could melt ANYONE'S heart. His perfect fluffed medium length blonde hair just flowing so effortlessly in the wind.

Kurt had to gather himself.

A few others dropped down from the bus's steps and Kurt felt like he should do something. He was a reporter after all and he should at least introduce himself. Or meet with the security team. Or interview…someone. But he didn't. Instead, he just watched the dumb show in front of him. He'd never seen so much hair, either from the band or the girls, bouncing around haphazardly. It's always interesting to see how groupies react to celebrities, but there was something about this that was cult-like. Not exactly god-like, but with the presence of that bastard Charles Manson a few years prior. Nevertheless, Kurt watched everything unfold with a curious detachment that started to interfere with his job.

That was until someone who looked like the lead singer casually walked out of the bus and immediately turned towards the right. Only a few girls noticed him and screamed. But that didn't deter the guy, who Kurt thought was the lead singer. He wasn't sure. He didn't get a good look and was immediately curious at the guy's abrupt behavior towards his "fans". So, despite the number of fans begging for their breasts to be signed (and fondled), Kurt didn't see anything very interesting…other than this one guy, this unusual character, who had already disappeared to the other side of the bus.

So, Kurt gathered his satchel and walked around the group of at least thirty women. It actually didn't take him very long until he could see the one guy all alone, leaning against the bus.

David Karofsky. His stature was unmistakable. Despite the longish, brown hair, Dave stood there smoking a cigarette and looking down. There was something sullen about him and Kurt couldn't help but notice. Beyond them, girls still screamed and giggled and begged to be let on the bus. But there was something sad about what Kurt saw before him. Here stood this lone man, this young guy who sang his heart out on stage and album, who almost had his lower lip sticking out. Sure, the guy was big and was an unusual presence on the stage, in the days of the "twig". Even for men, that existed. And yet, something about him struck Kurt as odd and very, very curious. And _THAT_ is a combination a reporter can never refuse.

So, Kurt took a step towards him. And then another.

"Hey!"

Kurt whirled around and was immediately confronted with a security guard. He stared at him wide-eyed until he realized he wasn't wearing his ID tag.

"I have ID." Kurt said.

He immediately dug through his duffel but was surprised to hear a masculine voice behind him say, "He's OK. He's with me."

Kurt whirled and discovered that the lead singer of Exposure, David Karofsky, had said this and was, well, coming to his rescue!

The security guard was reluctant to let Kurt pass but Kurt noticed Dave nod slightly and the gaurd did the same. And that was it. The gaurd said nothing and went to the other side of the bus to handle the screaming fans.

Kurt pulled up his satchel on his shoulder and cleared his throat.

"Uh... Thanks." Kurt said as he just stood there awkwardly.

"No problem, man. Far out." Dave mumbled as he flicked his cigarette and continued to smoke.

This was awkward to say the least.

Kurt didn't feel right so he decided to do something to break the tension.

"Hi! My name is..." Kurt stretched out his arm expecting Dave to shake it. But Dave didn't. Instead Dave threw his cigarette on the ground, put it out with his foot and muttered something under his breath.

"Excuse me? I didn't catch that." Kurt said as Dave began to walk away. Kurt had to power walk just to catch up.

Dave stopped and turned around with Kurt nearly running into him.

"I know who you are. You're "_THE MAN_" Get on the bus. It's all groovy man.. You're here for the dirt on us. I get that. But you can't get what you want if you don't follow the source." Dave sarcastically said as he continued to walk toward the bus. Kurt was so confused. Was this guy on drugs? What was going on? This mysterious guy was so confusing! But Kurt did as he was told and followed Dave.

"Well nice to meet you too." Kurt mumbled underneath his breath _NOT AT ALL_ impressed by this guy's attitude.

THIS was going to be a _LONG_ assignment.

And Kurt wanted to leave already but he came this far and he was _NOT_ about to let some 'rock star" ruin his article. So with his head held high Kurt got on the bus and was ready for the unknown.

.

**AN: So, what did you all think? Thank you for reading! Have a nice day!-ILOVESMESOMEGLEEX3**


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